Folding box and box blank



Feb. 22, 1966 A. B. TADDEAU 3,236,434

FOLDING BOX AND BOX BLANK Filed Jan. 21, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ANDREI V B. DIODE/1 0 JTTUB/VEY United States Patent 3,236,434 FOLDING BOX AND BOX BLANK Andrew B. Taddeau, Columbus, Ga., assignor to Rock City Box Sales Company, Norcross, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Jan. 21, 1963, Ser. No. 252,882 Claims. (Cl. 229-31) This invention relates to a folding box and box blank. Boxes of the sort contemplated in this disclosure are used in various commercial establishments and are usually furnished to the customer partially folded arranged in stacks in a substantially flat condition to be readily folded into a three-dimensional full-fold position for receiving goods such as shirts or the like therein. The flat, stacked boxes facilitate shipping, storage and handling.

Shirt manufacturers, commercial laundries and the like package several shirts in a box which for shipping convenience is shipped almost flat. From the standpoint of handling and filling the boxes should be easily opened and readily folded into permanent condition to receive the shirts or other merchandise. Obviously, this presents somewhat of a problem since the economy of box manufacturing requires most boxes of this price range to be manufactured by stamping from a flat blank which requires the use of tabs that must be glued, stapled or otherwise secured to complete the box. Gluing presents various problems such as the messy handling of the glue itself, loss of glue due to waste or spoilage, and the time involved in allowing the glue to set to minimum strength. Stapling also presents problems such as positioning the tabs to receive the staples and also the unwanted appearance of the stapled box after completion. The de sirable thing is to produce a box of this sort of a substantially economical and inexpensive manufacture, since it is used only a short time, and to forward it flatstacked to the consumer as nearly completed as possible and arranged so that the consumer can readily open and complete the box to receive the merchandise.

The box of the present invention is manufactured by stamping or cutting from a large continuous sheet of material and comprises identical corner tabs each slit inwardly toward the center of the box to separate it from a respective long side and each tab having a perforated or other diagonal fold line thereon. Inner fold lines define the sides and ends of the box and the continuation of the longitudinal inner fold line defines the fold of the corner tabs. At the box plant the corner tabs are folded with the entire ends of the box upon the box itself and the outer, triangular portion of each tab is secured as by gluing at the box plant to the respective area beneath it on the longitudinal side. At this point the box is still substantially flat having only a slight bulge in thickness caused by the overlapping plies of the ends of the box and tabs being folded upon the sides and bottom of the box. Then the top surfaces of the exposed tabs of the box receive those adhesives which are known as selfsticking adhesives which are applied and allowed to dry and which will adhere to each other through the use of heat and/or pressure. The box is delivered to the customer in this condition with the self-sticking adhesive in a dry, inoffensive condition. A stack of such boxes may be shipped in a large bundle and may be removed for service and use by removing same with two hands from the top of the stack, folding the ends of the flat box outwardly and upwardly by grasping same with the finger and at the same time this motion pulls the sides of the box upwardly away from the bottom of the box and causes the entire box to assume a three-dimensional shape. Such action just described causes the two triangular portions of the top of the corner tabs (keeping in mind that the underside of one of the triangular portions was previously attached at the factory as by gluing or otherwise) to come into overlapping juxtaposition with each other and the application of heat and/or pressure by pressing with the hands or using a pair of blocks or clamping means will cause the box to remain in a permanent, upright and three-dimensional shape.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a box blank which readily may be partially folded and glued in place to receive a self-sticking adhesive for further fbolding and securing into a completed three-dimensional An advantage of the present box arrangement is that it may be readily and inexpensively partially folded at the factory and shipped substantially in flat condition in bundles for easy completion through the use of a self-sticking adhesive.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a box blank having corner tabs thereon which may be coated with a self-sticking adhesive to be pressure and/or heat sealed in place by the consumer.

Another object of the present box blank may be found in the use of corner tabs having diagonal fold lines thereon which may be secured on the underside to partially fold the box but to so secure the box elements together as to make it readily possible to complete the folding without the necessity of aligning or figuring with respect to the portions of the box.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a study of the specification herein taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a manufactured box blank according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the box blank shown in FIG. 1 with the ends thereof folded into place upon the bottom and sides of the box and the end tabs secured partially to the respective portions of the sides of the box.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of the partly folded box blank and taken along lines 33.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view looking into the inside of the box blank partially folded by lifting the ends of the box from the position shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the box shown in FIG. 4 inverted or turned over.

Referring initially to FIG. 1 and then as the description develops onto the subsequent figures of the drawings and from time to time to one figure or another, the box is designated by the reference character 10 and comprises a fiat box blank 12 manufactured by die cutting or otherwise from a continuous sheet of cardboard or similar material to have a bottom portion 14, identical fourcorner fold and attaching tabs 16, which are slit along the inside edge inwardly toward the bottom 14 to define the longitudinal sides 18 of the box blank and also to assist in defining the ends 20 thereof.

Fold lines 22 are scored onto the box blank to define the fold lines of the respective ends 20 with respect to the bottom 14 and similar fold lines 24 are scored longitudinally along the box and along the bottom 14 to define the sides 18. A continuation of the fold lines 24 along the respective tabs 16 forms the fold line for each of the respective tabs 16.

Each respective tab 16 is separated from a respective portion of the side 18 by a slit 26 and each tab 16 has a perforated or scored fold line 28 arranged diagonally thereon from the intersection of fold lines 22, 24 to the outward apex or edge of each tab.

At the box plant or manufacturing plant it is contemplated that each of the tabs 16 would receive any type of glue at the respective areas 30 to be glued to the corresponding portion on the respective side 18 to cause the box blank to assume the permanent condition and position shown in FIG. 2 and slightly exaggerated in FIG. 3. The exaggeration is caused by the puckering or bulging of the side of the ends 20 which normally would be pushed flat when a plurality of such blanks were forced together in a stack or pile. In the condition of FIGS. 2 and 3 it is to be noted that now the respective ends 20 are permanently secured to the respective sides 18 at the outer triangular tab portions 32 of each of the tabs 16 leaving an unsecured tab portion 34 separated by the respective fold lines 28.

At the factory or box plant, the outer surfaces of the entire exposed surface 40 of each of the tabs 16 has been provided with any one of the well known self-sticking adhesives the characteristic of which that they dry to a normally dry coated feeling and a non-tacky surface that will adhere to itself or the same coating when the two are brought into pressure engagement with each other. One such adhesive is manufactured by the Manhattan Adhesives Corporation, 425 Green Point Avenue, Brooklyn 22, New York, known as XR419 Extra Special Cement for Blister Packs being more commonly defined as a free flowing Latex Adhesive that is a dry film (translucent) and is not reemulsifiable. It may be diluted with water if necessary. It may be applied by hand, by a spray or a machine and also by a rubber roller. With the use of this adhesive no special heat sealing equipment is necessary and it may be dryed by passing through a twenty to forty foot drying tunnel at 180 F. and then may be stacked because the adhesive sticks only to itself.

After forming into the codition shown in FIG. 2, boxes may be stacked in a verticle stack and pressed into a bundle or boxed for shipping.

The boxes 10 may then be set-up for use by the consumer (at a laundry plant, shirt factory, etc.) by removing them one at a time from the stack, grasping the ends between the thumb and forefinger of each respective hand and lifting the ends 20 sufficiently to break along the fold line. Then the box 10 may be held in the hands and the fingers used to press the self-sticking adhesive on surfaces 40 together to complete the corners of the box and to seal the folded corner together causing the sides 18 and the ends 20 ot assume a permanent position substantially perpendicular to the bottom 14.

Or, if desired for use in connection with a machine 50 having fixed clamping jaw members 62 and movable clamping jaw members 64, the box 10 after opening in the manner described in the preceding paragraph but prior to the completion of the corners, may be shifted to place the sides 18 in each of a respective hand 38 for positioning on the machine 50 while maintaining the box partially open in the manner shown in FIG. 4 for positioning in the manner shown in FIG. 5. If preferred, depending upon the operator and the room arrangement and so forth, the box 10 may be positioned on the machine 50 from the hand-holding position having ends 20 in a respective hand in the manner described in the preceding paragraph.

When the coated surfaces 40 are brought firmly into engagement with themselves in the manner described and from the almost completed fold shown in FIG. 4, the adhesives will stick to themselves and the box is completed as a three-dimensional, ready-to-use box.

As seen in FIG. 5, the operator inverts the box from the position of FIG. 4 and inserts it with the open bottom so as to place the corners of the box 1%) between the jaws 62, 64 and to place the outside of the sides 18 next to a movable jaw 64, and the previously unglued inside portion of the tabs 16 against the fixed jaw 62 thereby starting to fold and press the two portions of the self-sticking adhesive 40 to each other.

While I have shown and described a particular box, method and machine, this is to enable one skilled in the art to practice same and is not to be construed as any sort of limitation on the scope of my box, method and machine since various changes, substitutions, deviations, alleviations, variations and alterations may be made in the box, method and machine shown and described without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a box blank,

(a) a substantially flat box blank having sides, a bottom, and ends,

(b) a portion of each of one of the sides and bottom being foldable into overlapping and superposed position with each other,

(c) a part of the portion in (b) being initially securable to the respective portion overlapped and superposed therewith thereby to partly assemble said box at the corners,

(d) and said partly assembled box blank then being substantially fiat for stacking and shipping with a like number of box blanks,

(e) and a portion of each of the corners having a selfsticking adhesive thereon, said corners being completed by bringing said self-sticking adhesive together to attach said superposed adhesive portions.

2. In a box folded from a flat box-blank, comprising:

(a) a flat piece of box-blank material pre-cut into a box-blank comprising opposed sides, opposed ends and a bottom,

(b) foldable tabs formed on each of the corners of said box-blank from one of an end and side,

(c) each of said corners being foldable and each side being foldable with a respective end about the bottom,

(d) a portion of each of said corner tabs being toldable and superposed upon a respective side and attachable thereto,

(e) self-sticking adhesive on said tabs,

(f) the back surface of said tabs each being then foldable and superposed upon itself by folding the unattached portion and carrying a respective end between two tabs on the same end of said box to an upward position,

(g) said tab being attached to itself to hold said ends and said sides upwardly with respect to said bottom to create an open box.

3. In a partially-folded box folded from a flat boxbl=ank for shipping and subsequent completion as a box:

(a) a flat piece of box-blank material pre-cut into a box-blank comprising opposed sides, opposed ends and a bottom,

(b) foldable corner tabs formed on each of the corners of said box-blank between and from a respective end and side,

(c) each of said tabs having a fold line defined thereon,

(d) a portion of each of the inside surfaces of said corner tabs being folded and superposed upon a respective side and attached thereto,

(e) a surface of said corner tabs each having a selfsticking adhesive thereon and being foldable and said surfaces superposed upon themselves by folding about the unattached portion carrying a respective end between two tabs on the same end of said box to an upward position,

(f) said partially completed box in (d) being completed by raising the ends and a tab being attached to itself by simple engagement to hold said ends and said sides upwardly with respect to said bottom to create an open box.

4. In a box folded from a fiat box-blank:

(a) a flat piece of box-blank material pre-cut into a box-blank comprising opposed sides, opposed ends and a bottom,

(b) foldable tabs formed on each of the corners of said box-blank between and from a respective end and side,

(c) each of said tabs being attached to the box-blank by a fold line,

(d) each of the tabs being foldable and a portion thereof superposed upon a respective side and attachable thereto,

(e) a self-sticking adhesive on said corner tabs and each being foldable upon themselves to engage and stick-together by said self-sticking adhesive,

(f) said tab being attached to itself to hold said ends and said sides upwardly with respect to said bottom to create an open box.

5. In a box folded from a fiat box-blank:

(a) a flat box-blank material pre-cut into a box-blank comprising opposed sides, opposed ends and a bottom,

(b) foldable corner tabs formed on each of the corners of said box-blank between and from a respective end and side,

(c) each of said corner tabs being separated from a respective side by a slit and being attached to a respective end by a fold line,

(d) each of said tabs having a perforated fold line formed diagonally thereon approximately from the intersection of said slit from the side and said fold line from the end,

(e) a portion of each of the inside surfaces of said corner tabs defined by the diagonal fold line being foldable and superposed upon a respective side and attachable thereto,

(f) the back surface of said corner tabs each having a self-sticking adhesive thereon and each being toldable and a portion superposed upon themselves about the fold line on each of said tabs by folding the unattached portion and carrying a respective end between two tabs on the same end of said box to an upward position,

(g) said tab being attached to itself to hold said ends and said sides upwardly with respect to said bottom to create an open box.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,488,756 4/1924 La Bolnbard et a1 9349 1,926,366 9/1933 Bergstein 22932 2,112,121 3/1938 Sidebotham 9349 2,357,009 8/1944 Klein 229-32 2,932,439 4/1960 Sparling 229-31 2,990,098 6/1961 Kramer 229-32 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners. 

1. IN A BOX BLANK, (A) A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT BOX BLANK HAVING SIDES, A BOTTOM, AND ENDS, (B) A PORTION OF EACH OF ONE OF THE SIDES AND BOTTOM BEING FOLDABLE INTO OVERLAPPING AND SUPERPOSED POSITION WITH EACH OTHER, (C) A PART OF THE PORTION IN (B) BEING INITIALLY SECURABLE TO THE RESPECTIVE PORTION OVERLAPPED AND SUPERPOSED THEREWITH THEREBY TO PARTLY ASSEMBLE SAID BOX AT THE CORNERS, (D) AND SAID PARTLY ASSEMBLED BOX BLANK THEN BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT FOR STACKING AND SHIPPING WITH A LIKE NUMBER OF BOX BLANKS, (E) AND A PORTION OF EACH OF THE CORNERS HAVING A SELFSTICKING ADHESIVE THEREON, SAID CORNERS BEING COMPLETED BY BRINGING SAID SELF-STICKING ADHESIVE TOGETHER TO ATTACH SAID SUPERPOSED ADHESIVE PORTIONS. 